A cat pounced¹ on（猛扑向） a cock, and cast about for（寻找） some good excuse for making a meal off him, for cats don't as a rule to eat cocks, and she knew she ought not to. At last she said, "You make a great nuisance（讨厌的人，麻烦事） of yourself at night by crowing and keeping people awake: so I am going to make an end of you." But the cock defended himself by saying that he crowed in order that men might wake up and set about the day's work in good time, and that they really couldn't very well do without him. "That may be," said the cat, "but whether they can or not, I'm not going without my dinner", and she killed and ate him.

 

The want of a good excuse never kept a villain²（坏人，恶棍） from crime.

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